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Topic: How to Clearly Define Your Goals (Read 4295 times)

Some of the posted goals are fairly vague and hard to measure. Instead having a goal to be "better" at something, try to using words that can be seen, heard, or measured. Using Behavioral Language like this, will make it easier to achieve your goals. Below are some examples:

great post and info. I threw some out as I had no time to define them more but this makes great points. I will incorporate into my edits.

We have to use similar writing styles when writing our own yearly reviews for my job. Yes we write our own and boss signs off on it. good and bad but using measureable/quantifiable goals you can demonstrate you succeeded and no "gray" area if you actually accomplished anything. Clearly defined and measurable.

Good point. I initially sped through and made very "grey" goals like "improve plant identification skills" just to get something on paper. I realized that these weren't very helpful so I went back and added things like "learn to identify 10 new local plants".

After reading your post, I realize I'm still too vague on some goals so I'll be going back over them again to make them more descriptive so that my progress will be more measurable.

I like the idea of the behavioral language.. I have started out with basic broad goals because I didn't really have time to put into it from the get-go. I have done better in editing them, but some will have to wait until I know a little bit more about the skills. Some of the skills I have picked, I dont really have any idea how to pick out a goal because I know absolutely nothing about it.

Thanks for the suggestion Black November... I think it's a great way to make our learning more measurable for sure. I will be working to implement it as I am able.

MTO goals: Minimum - Target - OutrageousThe idea is that your minimum is something there is no way you can fail at. The target is what your goal would usually be, and the outrageous is something you can't believe you could do (but you probably can).

Example:Plant Identification:Minimum - Learn to identify one local edible plant by July 1, 2013.Target - Learn to identify ten local edible plants by July 1, 2013.Outrageous - Learn to identify 20 local edible plants, and use (eat) them by March 1, 2013.

The minimum goal should feel like: I could do that in my sleep! (banish fear of failure)The target: I could do this if I applied myself.The outrageous: 'Wouldn't it be awesome if..!!!' (create excitement)

MTO goals: Minimum - Target - OutrageousThe idea is that your minimum is something there is no way you can fail at. The target is what your goal would usually be, and the outrageous is something you can't believe you could do (but you probably can.)

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The minimum goal should feel like: I could do that in my sleep! (banish fear of failure)The target: I could do this if I applied myself.The outrageous: 'Wouldn't it be awesome if..!!!' (create excitement)

Awesome. I'll be using my "minimum" to define when i can report my skill as "in progress" .

MTO goals: Minimum - Target - OutrageousThe idea is that your minimum is something there is no way you can fail at. The target is what your goal would usually be, and the outrageous is something you can't believe you could do

The minimum goal should feel like: I could do that in my sleep! (banish fear of failure)The target: I could do this if I applied myself.The outrageous: 'Wouldn't it be awesome if..!!!' (create excitement)[/quote]